Blink Identity secures $1.5m seed round

Facial recognition and biometrics ticketing firm Blink Identity has secured $1.5m in a new seed-funding round, with contributions from Live Nation.

The investment round was led by Sinai Ventures, a venture capital firm specialising in emerging companies in the internet and software spaces.

It also featured input from Techstars, a startup-focused VC firm, and Ticketmaster’s parent company Live Nation, as well as “other live entertainment related funds,” according to a statement from Blink Identity.

Austin-based firm Blink Identity has developed technology that can recognise faces, and even identify people while they are walking. According to its website, the technology has been used for operational testing at US military bases around the world.

Sinai Ventures lead investor Jordan Fudge said, according to Find Biometrics: “Blink Identity has created a fast, accurate and user-first identity service for live entertainment venues, solving the bottleneck problem and creating a preferential experience for consumers and venue owners alike.”

Live Nation and Blink Identity have acknowledged a partnership, which the biometrics firm said entails “early pilot programmes in a variety of venues.”

In May, Ticketmaster invested in Blink Identity as it said it was looking to integrate the firm’s technology with its Presence tool. The news was announced in Live Nation’s financial results for Q1 2018.

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